Shloka 9

Amba approaches the Paraśurāma context; Hotravāhana’s counsel and Akṛtavraṇa’s report (अम्बोपाख्यानम्—रामदर्शनप्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

राजपुत्र्या: प्रकृत्या च कुमार्यास्तव भामिनि । भद्रे दोषा हि विद्यन्ते बहवो वरवर्णिनि

Transliteration

rājaputryāḥ prakṛtyā ca kumāryās tava bhāmini | bhadre doṣā hi vidyante bahavo varavarṇini ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు పలికెను—భామినీ! రాజకుమార్తెగా, ఇంకా కన్యగా ఉన్న నీ స్వభావస్థితి వల్ల, భద్రే, వరవర్ణినీ, నీలో అనేక దోషాలు కూడా ఉన్నాయి.

Word by Word

राजपुत्र्याःof a king’s daughter / princess

प्रकृत्याby nature

चand

कुमार्याःof a maiden / young girl

तवof you / your

भामिनिO passionate/angry lady

भद्रेO auspicious/gentle one

दोषाःfaults, defects

हिindeed, for

विद्यन्तेare found / exist

बहवःmany

वरवर्णिनिO fair-complexioned one / O lovely-hued lady

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a moral admonition: Bhīṣma criticizes the addressee’s disposition by appealing to perceived social expectations of a princess and an unmarried maiden, implying that certain behaviors are considered blameworthy within that ethical-social framework.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is speaking directly to a woman, addressing her with contrasting epithets (bhāmini, bhadre, varavarṇini) while rebuking her character, stating that many faults are found in her nature as a royal daughter and as a maiden.